Dr. Paul Craig Roberts: FRENCH GOVERNMENT ALIGNS WITH RUSSIA’S WAR AGAINST ISIS

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury during President Reagan’s first term. He was Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal. He has held numerous academic appointments, including the William E. Simon Chair, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Georgetown University, and Senior Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

LOOKS LIKE THE IMMORAL DUMBSHITS IN WASHINGTON ARE LOSING CONTROL OF THEIR EMPIRE

This article originally appeared in German Economic News. Translated from the German by Werner Schrimpf.

The French will support Russia’s fight against terrorists in Syria. U.S. President Obama will be kept informed about developments.

Last Monday, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius took a surprising stance in favor of Russian air strikes in Syria. During an interview with French radio station Europe1 Fabius stated that these aerial attacks must be flown not just against ISIS but against all other groups which can be classified as terroristic. Russia’s news agency TASS also cited this interview.

The interesting aspect of this interview is the correction of a former announcement of French president Hollande on last Friday arguing Russia is just allowed to hit ISIS – and nobody else.
This is bad news for NATO. Since the launch of Russia’s air strikes NATO and U.S.-Neocons are keen to escalate the situation accusing the Russians of attacking other terrorist groups beyond IS. But this is exactly the task of the Russians, Fabius declared during his interview.

Fabius explained further that president Hollande shares of course the same view but had been in a hurry during his last interview and probably was not precise enough. It is very embarrassing for the U.S. and Turkey that Fabius explicitly defined Jabhat al-Nusra Front as potential target. Al Nusra Front– a Syrian Al-Qaida branch is financed and equipped by the U.S. and Turkey.

A permanent information exchange concerning the progress of the raids has been established. Israel is being informed as well and cooperates with the Russians on an informal basis.

The French air raids have been flown for a while now. Obviously there is no common idea within NATO concerning the future strategy in Syria. It is not clear whether there is coordination between Russia and France when flying the aerial attacks.

Gulf states and Turkey share other interests in the region and are opposing the Russians. Turkey is demanding financial support from the EU to cover the cost for running the refugee camps and additionally for some sort of standstill agreement with respect to Turkey’s own military activities in Syria and Northern Iraq.